Reckoning: Chapter 56
by Michelle.Lee.PDX
Summary: Dru and Jae-Hwa duel in a female fight club that ends with a serious injury to one of them. The return of Christophe is finally here. Dru learns something about Ash that changes her perspective. And Graves performs some serious acts of true love.


The crowd finally began to quiet down following the stir up over the fact that the only the two female representatives on Pactus were going to duel. Once again the sun was setting on the horizon as dusk settled in. The lights of the stadium were glaring onto the grassy field, causing me to squint.

Jae-Hwa stood at attention with a perfectly serious expression on her face. Her immaculately applied dark red lipstick was a stark contrast with her porcelain-esque skin. Even though she was small in stature, I knew not to underestimate her skills. Over the weeks of Pactus, I found out she was not only brilliant, but she was courageous and also a risk taker. She had the guts to do whatever it took to achieve a goal, which made her dangerous.

I stole a glance at Graves across the grass. As he took a seat on the first row of bleachers, he appeared to be composed, but his familiar facial ticks gave his true emotions away. He kept rubbing his eyebrows with his fingers and checking the time on his watch excessively. _I'm willing to bet he's aching for a cigarette between his lips. He's nervous as hell._

I still hadn't a chance to apologize to Graves for injuring him at _kyoso_ the day before since he was carried off the field. He was heavily guarded and in intensive care since I last saw him. I felt so guilty especially because we were in the middle of an argument when I hurt him. _I just want this whole thing to be over so I can go back to my primary focus, killing Lena… and finding Christophe._

Hiro and Alton nodded at me across the arena in hopes of inspiring confidence. However it just reinforced my worries about the predicament. If I lost, I'd be letting the Kourio down. If I won, my friends would lose out on their fair share of the rights at the _scholas_. I felt sick just thinking about the potential outcomes.

As Bruce finished explaining the rules of the duel again, Jae-Hwa and I turned to acknowledge each other. I placed my fist in my palm and bowed, while she bowed in the style of her art form. She stared intensely at me with her espresso-colored eyes. I was told she was fast but wondered if she possessed _svetocha-_speed like me. My only comparable was Nat, who was fast, but not as fast as I. Whenever we played the _wulfen_ game rabbit, she came close to catching me, but not once yet.

"Begin!" Bruce's voice rang throughout the arena. My aspect flashed through my body as I prepared to attack first. However before I got a chance, a foot, which was attached to a flying leg, hurdled toward my upper body. I leaned into a deep back bend to avoid the approaching butterfly kick.

I failed to anticipate her combination of moves and another leg contacted my lower body, swept me off my feet and lifted me into mid-air. I quickly pulled tight, flipped and landed on my two feet. My heart was beating rapidly. I was completely caught off guard by Jae-Hwa's offensive moves. I then realized she was a master at the long fist style of _wushu._

I steadied my gaze on her as we reset. _That surprised the hell out of me._ _Now that I know her area of study I can anticipate her moves… mostly feet and fists but she'll probably use her forearms and shins to strike as well._

My area of training in _krav maga_ was more about defensive tactics and lean thinking. The goal was to end the fight was as little energy spent as possible. _If only I could use psychic powers, but that's against the rules, not to mention unfair._

My aspect caused my fangs and claws to extend as I prepared to attack. I noticed that Jae-Hwa did not change to her _wulfen_ her form at all. Since she arrived at the _schola,_ I had not seen the Other. I didn't intend to wait any longer so I advanced with my right arm, while lowering my center of gravity. I aimed for her abdominals in a full speed attack.

She swept her left arm downward blocking my punch and sending a kick toward my head. I immediately lunged out of the way of her oncoming foot and swept my legs under her body. With a lightening fast reflex, Jae-Hwa flipped backwards. As graceful as a cat, she landed on her feet, all the while expressionless.

_Shit, she's good. _As I squared my shoulders up to her body again, I peered into my opponent's brown eyes. They were alive and full of passion for life. From what I had learned about Jae-Hwa, I respected her determination to make things happen when the odds were stacked against her. As a female _wulf, _who was not allowed to attend _schola_ like the boys, she overcame and bypassed many obstacles that held others back.

I had to be honest with myself. Even though I was letting go of any hope to be with Graves, I could bear it a little better knowing Jae-Hwa was worthy._ At least she's got her shit together… way better than I do._

Using the power from within, I threw two jabs with my right and left fists. She dipped and ducked out of the way of my punches. Jae-Hwa lowered her center of gravity and punched toward my stomach which made contact, much to my surprise. All the breath expelled out of my body as I doubled over and fell to the ground. The feeling made me want to lie down and pray for the air to return.

I grabbed my stomach and looked up at Jae-Hwa. She was completely calm and pokerfaced. _Get up on your feet, Dru girl! _Dad's voice resonated in my head. I wondered if Jae-Hwa showed passion for much in life if she didn't let it show during battle. _But does one have to be demonstrative to be passionate? Christophe taught me that one could care an awful lot despite being totally emotionally restrained._

I mustered up all my breath and popped back onto my feet. _Okay, this time use all you've got, Dru. _I ran at my opponent with _svetocha_-speed aiming for her midline with my right fist. As she darted to the left to avoid me, I faked and flung my legs around to the left kicking into her. When my left foot connected, her body folded in half, hurtled backwards and skidded onto the ground. A dirt cloud trailed her tumbling body like something out of anime.

Jae-Hwa rolled onto her stomach and blinked a few times as she re-orientated herself. I was pleased I finally got an offensive move in that earned me some points. I glanced at the clock. We still had ten minutes left to go. I was tired already and I could tell that she was as well. I looked at Graves covertly and noticed he averted his eyes downward. _Is that a defeated wulfen thing or something else?_

My opponent slowly stood back up on her feet, ignoring the dirt and grass stains on her white fitted pants. For the first time she spoke since we began the duel. "Very creative, Milady."

I smiled in response, not really knowing if she was paying me a compliment or making a sarcastic remark. Then to my total surprise, Jae-Hwa released control of her Other form. The sound of popping joints and stretching bones reverberated in the arena. I watched in fascination as her dainty features fused into an animalistic structure. Her mouth stretched into a muzzle-like form and her forehead hardened. Her skull and ears pulled back, elongating her profile. Her petite body grew taller as she stretched six more than inches upward, meeting my eyes at the same height. I waited for the fur to emanate from her skin but it never came. I'd seen Nat transition many times before and the fur was always the last to appear. However the wulf remained without and it was then I realized… she didn't have any. Jae-Hwa was _loup-garou_.

_No… fucking… way. A female loup? I knew loups were rare in the first place but a girl one was impossible, right? This explains so much. If both Graves and Jae-Hwa are the same type, of course the Elders would want them to be matched… to breed. They'd expect pups, which would create a royal family of wulfen. They'd be so powerful, uniting the tribes and increasing their influence with the Kourio._

The crowd seemed a buzz with the revelation as well because a rumble of whispers moved across the arena. It seemed they too were unaware of Jae-Hwa's special gifts. I wondered if Graves even knew.

The female _loup_ hunched her shoulders. Her breathing was deep and heavy and her eyes were glowing in the darkness at me. "Do your best, _svetocha_. Show me why we are here." I sensed that Jae-Hwa expected nothing but the most arduous challenge between us. I figured she'd be disappointed if we didn't both give each other hell at that moment.

I crouched low to build my power, then lunged at her using the full force of my legs. As she prepared to deflect my direct hit, I propelled myself up and over her head, flipping and striking her in a downward movement. She flung forward as the impact of my blow pushed her to the ground. My landing was silent and so was the crowd, who seemed to be in awe.

Jae-Hwa popped to her feet and turned to attack in a zig-zagged motion. I was uncertain as to which way she was going to make contact so I lept upwards to move out of her reach. However she jumped, grasped my left calf and pulled me downward into a spinning motion. My body was being propelled in a circular way. I felt out of control and at her total mercy. Finally she let go of my leg, throwing me upward. Before I could get my feet under me, she came down with her elbow to my chest. I hit the ground with a crunch and a thud. _Fuck, that hurt!_

I laid on the grass as I attempted to assess my injury. I knew something broke but wasn't sure just what got damaged. At that moment, I heard Bruce's voice echo through the arena, much to my relief and to my disappointment. "Time is called. _Kyoso_ is over. Stand and show respect, please."

I tried to lift my legs to stand but something wasn't right. I couldn't figure out what wasn't working precisely. "Dru… Milady… you need to get up." I heard Nadira's voice come from yards away on the bleachers. I tried to turn my head in her direction but it wouldn't move. _Oh my God._ _Why can't I move my body? I can't control my movements._

A herd of foot steps came running to my side. I looked at the faces staring down at me and nearly started panicking just seeing their expressions. Dibs, August and Nadira came first. "Dru sweetie, can you talk to us? Say something."

But I couldn't. My eyes saw what was happening but I couldn't utter a word with my mouth. My voice was paralyzed as well. I didn't understand what was happening. Finally Dibs spoke up after assessing for damage. "I can't say what's happened but it must be something with her spinal column. However, I don't know why she can't talk. I've never seen that before."

As the stretcher arrived to take me to the infirmary, I thought about the tragedy of my situation. _I'm paralyzed and nobody knows why. To make matters worse, I can't even talk or communicate. God help me._

I awoke a few hours later lying in a familiar place in the infirmary, a recovery room. It was the same room I was in six months ago after a burning dog attacked and took a chunk out of my leg. The lighting was dim in the room and my vision was a little blurry still. _What time is it? How long have I been out?_ I tried to vocalize some words but still no sounds emanated from my mouth.

"Milady, are you awake?" I blinked at the ceiling but didn't see any faces in my view. "Dru... I'm here now." A familiar scent had filled the room, baked apples and cinnamon. It reminded me of comfort food and… Christophe.

A hand grasped mine and finally I saw his face. His piercing blue eyes looked into mine. His brown hair was a little shorter in the back than when I last saw him. For a change he was wearing something different than a black sweater, a blue t-shirt and black military cargo pants. His aspect flushed through him, highlighting his hair with blond streaks. It was him, the _djamphire_ who loved me and left me, was back. I was happy to see his perfectly beautiful face again but damn him for returning. _Why's he here?_ I_ told him to stay away at all costs. We can't afford to get caught together by Lena. She'd attack in an instant if she knew we were together._

"_Kochana_, you've had an MRI and as far as the doctors can tell, the injury was to the base of your head. There's a lot of swelling there. That's probably why you can't move or talk. It's going to be a day by day thing to see what happens, _skowroneczko moja_."

My mind was swirling with confusion and anger and happiness. I wanted to say how happy I was to see him but I also wanted to punch his lights out for coming out of hiding. Christophe leaned in close and brushed the hair away from my face. He kissed my forehead and cheeks lightly. "Everything is going to be okay, _moj maly ptaszku_. I promise."

At that moment the door of the room opened. I couldn't see who it was but felt the air suck out of the atmosphere from the tension of the moment. A familiar sigh echoed in the room. I sensed the presence of Graves.

Christophe's voice was laden with irritation. "_Loup-garou_, I see you brought more trouble to Milady, which she doesn't need." _Oh, here we go again. _ I remembered the uncomfortable road trip with the two of them in the car several years ago. _Let's not repeat that moment, boys._

There was a pause of silence. "Reynard, I thought you were hiding under a rock someplace. I think the last time I saw you we had a little chat that didn't go so well for you. Didn't I kick your ass from here to next Sunday?" He smirked at the thought of his victory.

As I laid in the bed, unable to turn my head to see the interaction, I visualized the meeting between the two of them in the woods of the _wulfen_ retreat. They fought until both couldn't muster up any more strength. In the end, Graves won. The source of their fight was about me, of course.

"I'm here to see how Milady is, Reynard. I have no intention of going another round."

"Very well, Mr. Graves. If you can be civil for a moment that would be lovely." I could sense Christophe's figurative slap across Graves' face.

Graves came over to the other side of the bed so I could see his face. He looked tired and worried but all the same, he was still gorgeous. "_Dru, can you hear me_?" He attempted to engage our telepathic link.

I concentrated on his words and visualized my thoughts. I looked at Graves' green eyes and lost my train of thought for a moment. Finally I was able to pull my thoughts together. _"Why is this happening to me Graves?! I just want to get out of here. I am so angry right now I could slap one of you, or both if that would make me feel better." _Graves smiled and then made a chuckling noise.

"She's going to be fine. I can communicate with her using telepathy. We've been able to do that for a few weeks now." Graves looked at Christophe in a slightly smug way. He seemed pleased that the link only worked between the two of us.

The _djamphire_ seemed only slightly annoyed. "I'm fully aware of Milady's powers. I knew it was just a matter of time before she'd develop such skills."

_"Graves, I need to know. Did I lose the duel?"_

There was a significant pause of silence. "Jae-Hwa won, Dru. But you should be proud of yourself. You did your best plus you kicked my ass all over the place. Don't forget that."

Christophe looked surprisingly pleased. "Is that so, _moja ksiezniczko_?"

Graves ignored Christophe's retort. "_Wulfen_ have won three seats on the Order council for the next ten years. Things will be different going forward." His voice was sympathetic but seemingly satisfied.

_"I understand and I have to say I have mixed feelings about it all. I feel I let people down but I'm also happy for the _wulfen_. I also just want you to know… I'm sorry for hurting you too… during kyoso, I mean. It was an accident." _

"That's okay, kid. It's all part of the game. You kicked my ass fair and square." Graves switched to the telepathic link again. _"Dru, I need you know… until I know you're not still in love with me, I'm not gonna let this drop. Don't hook up with anyone just because it's easier than going for what you really want. I'm serious, Dru. I'm not giving up unless you tell me you don't love me anymore."_

I didn't know what to say to that. I wanted to believe him but part of me questioned his real intentions. What would happen if he was forced to choose between me and his future as a _wulfen_ leader? I refocused myself on Christophe. _"Graves, since I can't talk to him, I need you to translate for me… please." _

Graves sighed again._ "Sure kid." _He turned to his left. "Milady wants me to tell you something, Reynard."

_"Let him know… I think he's careless and a total dumbass for being here. He better not have come just to check on me. When I'm out of this bed, I'm gonna kick his ass personally. Why's he here?" _

Graves laughed out loud. "That's my girl." He turned to his left again. "She's pissed off at you for coming out of hiding. She wants to know why you're here?"

Christophe smiled slightly at the threat considering my predicament. "_Kochana_, I received a message that you were injured and in a serious fashion. I also was told that I should not come. However it was my decision to break that line of advice. It's been too long that I've been away and I can see that you have made strides in your development, which I am pleased about. Now is a critical time and I could not leave you unprotected from my _siostra_'s powers. Magdalena may see your current situation as a good time to attack. I could not take that risk, my little bird. I had to come."

Graves rolled his eyes and looked away. I could tell he was annoyed by Christophe's speech.

_"Graves, ask him what he knows about the night he rescued my mother from the LeFevre house when the suckers attacked them. Does he remember if there was a second girl in addition to Elizabeth? I need to know… ask him please."_

Graves nodded his compliance. "Dru wants to know if there was someone else with her mother the night that you went to the LeFevre house and rescued her… a second girl perhaps?"

The expression on Christophe's face was one of confusion at first. Then it changed to something that looked like recollection. His mouth opened as if he was about to say something, but then it closed and his expression turned vacant. "I, uh, don't remember that Milady. We found your mother, who was still at child at the time, in a secret space behind the main fireplace. But she was alone and she was scared."

I was becoming more concerned that a conspiracy was about since none of the _djamphire_ admitted what I saw clearly in a psychic vision. I still had not forgiven August for hiding something from me. But Hiro and now Christophe won't admit what they saw either. _Why aren't they telling me the truth? What is going on?_

_"Graves, tell him to leave me alone until he's willing to tell me the truth. I'm getting tired of being messed with."_

"Gladly, Milady."He looked at his nemesis and spoke with an air of satisfaction in his voice. "The _svetocha_ thinks you're lying to her. She wants you to leave her alone until you tell her the truth, Reynard."

Christophe facial expression went totally cold and stoic. Being told to leave me alone was bad enough, but to hear it from Graves made it ten times worse. "I can assure you _kochana_, I'm telling you what I know. I would never lie to you… ever." He looked the _loup_ in the eyes signaling his displeasure at Graves' lack of being forthright recently. "_Tak_, I will go but I won't be far. You need proper protection and I shall ensure you are looked after correctly. That is my promise to you, Dru."

As Christophe turned to leave, I considered telling Graves to stop him so I could reach out and say I wanted to believe him. However the moment passed and I didn't know how to recover gracefully without making matters worse.

I stared at the ceiling again in a defeated way. _Why is this happening to me?_

Graves picked up my left hand and I could feel the warmth of his strong fingers laced with mine. _"Dru, because you were injured at kyoso, it was decided jointly that Pactus would be suspended until you recover. We're going to wait until you get better before starting up again. I just wanted you to know." _Graves' voice trailed off in an unsettled way.

_"That's just great. All I need is for people waiting for me to start walking and talking again before they can get on with their debate. No pressure and totally not in any way embarrassing."_

"I know this sucks Dru, but I'm here for you as long as you need. I don't care what people think right now. If this isn't me trying to prove how much I love you, what is it? You don't leave someone when they need you the most. And I'm thinking the thing you need most right now is… a cheeseburger and chocolate milkshake." His voice was full of what I wanted to hear… his old, familiar, smart-ass sense of humor. Even though I couldn't move my head, I smiled at him as a single tear rolled down my right cheek.

A few days passed and my condition only slightly improved. I was able to turn my head and wiggle my toes, but still no voice. I felt slightly hopeless when I thought about not fully recovering. _What if I couldn't move my legs still after weeks more? What if I never regained the ability to talk? What if I remained quadriplegic?_ My emotions waffled on a minute by minute basis. I went from being angry to depressed and back to being totally pissed off at the world.

I regretted sending Christophe away but I needed him to know that I wasn't going to allow him to keep me in the dark about my family. He of all people should understand my need for this knowledge. _Why won't he tell me, dammit?_

As promised, Graves stayed with me day and night. He slept on the foldout cot near my bed, which reminded me of the old days of sharing a room and keeping watch over each other. We had no idea what was in store for us back then as ignorant high schoolers. So many things changed in the past few years. I was more than grateful for his constant companionship and especially for the fact that he could still communicate with me. He was still my best friend after all that happened to us and between us.

After a few more days, to my relief I was moved back to my suite where I had all my stuff and friends around me. Nat and Shanks were present for several hours every day and Dibs and Ash hung out most of the time. And of course, Graves was always there.

Leander came to see me as soon as he could. Having the ability to telepathically connect with me came as a blessing. _"Rajkumari, I am sorry I was delayed in visiting you. I was called back to the House of Maharaj to attend to some matters of concern. How have you been, Miss Dru?"_

_"Well, since you asked… currently I'm stuck here in a bed and can't move my body and especially not my mouth. I can't yell out to scream how pissed I am at Christophe and to make things worse the only person who can hear me is Graves. Ironically I've been trying to shake him off ever since I found out he's nearly engaged to the hairless wonder who did this to me. How's that for a status report, Leander?"_

My teacher seemed stunned by my bitchy attitude despite the fact this wasn't the first time I went off on him. "_I can see that you are angry at this time which you have every right to be. Most everyone in your situation has been through this stage at some point. Remember, rajkumari, you are not just a regular person… you are extraordinary. You have powers that give you the ability to overcome your barriers. The only thing holding you back is your anger. If you learn to lean into the feeling, you will find what you need to let it go."_

_"Yeah, well said Leander, but until I feel like moving on, I'm stuck… literally."_

_"All too true, Miss Dru. Listen to my words carefully, _svetocha_." Leander leaned in close to my ear and spoke out loud. _"This is just a phase and you shall pass through it if you seek to understand. Do not mourn what you have lost. Appreciate what you will obtain." He held out his hand and dangled something between his fingers to show me. It looked like a piece of jewelry made of stone and tied with a leather strap.

"How about we practice a bit of telemetry about the past?"

_"What the hell, why not? Where else am I gonna go at this point?"_

"Do you remember what you need to do, Milady?"

_"Yes, I think so."_

"Then here is the object." Leander opened my fingers and placed the necklace in the middle of my palm before closing my hand around it. Although I couldn't move, I sensed it's presence in my hand.

_"Twisted time passing through,_

_Bring the past into view."_

My vision swirled like water as the blue tones in my room became blurry. It clarified into a scene that took my breath away. I saw the figure of a healthy young man who was standing in the sun. His long dark wavy hair was blowing with the wind as the breeze passed through the autumn-colored trees. He was looking down on a gathering of individuals in a clearing. His facial features were strong and confident. He wore very minimal clothing made of loose fitting furs and leathers. Around his neck was the leather strapped stone necklace. He seemed to be intensely watching the scene below.

The clearing held a gathering of two different types of people, half were dressed similarly as the young man. They looked indigenous of the surroundings. The other half were dressed in attire that looked as if they were from the 18th century. _Where am I? When am I?_

The gathering of people were talking, but in a cautious way. As I drew nearer to the scene, I could hear the conversation was in French. The young man with the long dark hair approached the gathering with apprehension. He was particularly focused on a young woman who looked about the age of 17. She moved twitchy fast and that is when I realized she was like me, a _svetocha_. Her entourage was made of _djamphire _guardsmen. The young man moved fluidly as he silently observed the _svetocha_. His movements made me realize he was _wulfen_. I was observing a meeting between _wulfen_ and Kourio hundreds of years ago. The exact year was unknown but it was further in the past than I had ever seen before.

The young man looked familiar to me but different than anyone I knew. I watched in fascination as the _wulf_ and _svetocha _eyed each other cautiously but with curiosity as they approached. The young man seemed to be some sort of leader among his pack because his people responded attentively to his words in their native language. He spoke to the visitors _en francais _and they showed deference to him so clearly he was a person of importance. The _svetocha_ seemed mesmorized by the wulf's confidence and skills.

The scene washed away as I was pulled into another vision that I was not expecting. I saw the same _wulf_ in a very different place, a dungeon. The place was like something out of a movie set. I knew it was real because I could smell odor of rotting things and bodily fluids which made me feel like wretching. As I looked to my right I saw that the _wulf_ was chained by the neck in a caged box, unable to stand up. _Oh my God._ He was being broken, tortured until he changed to his wulfen form and was trapped there, never able to be human again. To my left, I heard the unmistakable screams of a _svetocha_, as if she was being tortured as well.

I wanted to turn the vision off and escape the scene but I didn't know how to leave or even if I could. I already knew what was happening. It was the _wulf_ and the _svetocha_ that Graves told me about. They fell in love and were captured by the _nosferat_… by Sergej. He was breaking the wulf and killing the _svetocha_. Sergej once told me himself that he drank the blood of many svetocha in his time of reign. I assumed this was one of those cases.

I looked into the eyes of the _wulf_ and saw his soul being tortured. He kept altering between _wulf_ and human and he was desperately trying to hang on to his humanity. Each time he became the man, he'd scream the name of the _svetocha_ in pain and rage. "Helena!"

At that moment, I realized why his expressions looked familiar to me. I knew him. He was Ash... my Ash. This was his story before he became one of the League of Broken Wulfen, hundreds of years before he came into my life.

The vision finally pulled me out of the past and back into the present. I realized that tears streamed down my face like the involuntary crying while trapped in a sad dream. The answers to all my questions about my beloved Ash were finally clear. He was once powerful, free and so loved by a _svetocha_. But Sergej took that away from him. Ash lost his humanity, his mind and his history all at the same time. To make matters worse, the wulfen banned any future connection between _wulves _and_ svetocha_ in an effort to prevent the same from happening again.

I blinked away the tears and tried to see across the room._ "Leander, where are you?"_

"I'm here, Miss Dru."Leander walked to my bedside after pacing the length of the room near the window.

_"Did you read this object before me?" _I needed to know if he realized what I saw.

"I did, rajkumari."I thought for a long while before speaking again. The tears finally stopped as I regained my composure. I finally understood it was time I moved on and stopped feeling sorry for myself. _Get on with the healing, Dru girl._

_"Thank you for showing this to me, Leander. Now, what do I need to do to get myself out of this bed? We've got work to do."_

**Readers: Now that Christophe is back is Dru going to figure it out? Can she recover from her serious injury before Lena attacks again? Will Graves choose tradition or follow his heart? How is Dru going to find out who her aunt is if no one will tell her? Come back next week for more. **


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